The Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, addressed the people in North and Eastern Syria Region, congratulating them on the twelfth anniversary of the July 19 Revolution.

He said: “Dear people, I congratulate you on the twelfth anniversary of the July 19 Revolution, which began in Kobani and spread throughout Rojava. Although the Kurdish people started the revolution, it was embraced and supported by all components of north and eastern Syria. We celebrate its twelfth anniversary thanks to the resistance and support of our people, the heroism of our martyrs and fighters, and it continues to this day.”

The SDF Commander-in-Chief recalled the early martyrs of the revolution, saying: “I salute all the forces, components, and individuals who participated in this revolution from its beginning and continue to protect its gains. In the figure of our great martyr, comrade Khabat Dêrik, I recall all our martyrs in the revolution. Through our great martyr leaders like Jinda Tal Tamir, Kendal Afrin, Ruksan, Warshin, and Zakaria, and all those who participated in the launch of the revolution, we bow to them and remember them with pride and honor.”

Regarding the role of the revolution in thwarting conspiracies and plans against the Kurdish people and Syrians, Abdi explained, “The July 19 Revolution played a major role not only in Rojava and North and East Syria but in Syria as a whole. With the start of this revolution, all the plans and calculations prepared by some parties and forces on Syria were foiled. Those forces had prepared their plans for Syria, but with the start of the revolution, they were dismantled one by one. All forces that marginalized the Kurdish people and used them as a tool failed, and their plans went up in smoke, leading them to change their policies towards the Kurdish people and Syrian as a whole.”

About the participation of all components of North and East Syria in the revolution, he said, “Today, under the leadership of the Kurdish people, all components of North and East Syria have become a great force and will. No one can reach a solution in Syria without them, and everyone must recognize this truth.”

Regarding the reasons for the expansion and growing role of the revolution in Syria and the defeat of attacks against it, he clarified, “The expansion and growing role of the July 19 Revolution are linked to its truth, goals, and programs, and to the principles on which it was founded. Based on this truth, all forces that opposed and attacked the revolution were defeated and failed, regardless of their names and colors, such as the Free Army, Al-Nusra Front, ISIS, and finally the Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries. Anyone who opposed this revolution faced failure. Just as the previous groups failed to fight the revolution, the fate of the Turkish occupation and all its linked mercenaries will be the same, forcing them to change their policies towards our people and all components of North and East Syria.”

Regarding the objectives set by the revolution from the first day, and the objectives of other forces, SDF Commander-in-Chief said, “The July 19 Revolution was launched to protect the people and their achievements. While all forces and parties in Syria were fighting and killing each other on sectarian, ethnic, and religious grounds, committing massacres up to beheading, the cities of Rojava were liberated without bloodshed. We only exercised our right to self-defense against the forces that attacked us. In the Syrian Democratic Forces and previously in the People’s Protection Units and Women’s Protection Units, we never launched any attack on any force in Syria; we only protected the gains of our revolution and our people. Today, we continue this mission and work. If no one fights us, we will not fight them. However, if any force attacks us, we will defend ourselves as we did in the past, but even stronger.”

Regarding the solution to the Syrian crisis and dialogue between Syrians, SDF Commander-in-Chief pointed out, “Today, everyone knows that the Syrian crisis cannot be solved through violence, war, and fighting. Everyone must see this truth, and the crisis cannot be resolved without dialogue. We are ready for dialogue with all parties, even with the active forces on the ground in the crisis, just to reach a solution that ends the crisis.” He stressed, “At the same time, we in the Syrian Democratic Forces and the components of North and East Syria have our basic principles and rights that must be considered, and we must go together to dialogue to reach a radical solution to the crisis.”

He added, “We are ready for dialogue with all forces, including Turkey, and we will support any dialogue that leads to the cessation of fighting and a political solution to the crisis.” He continued, “We have always worked for the unity of Syrian geography and preventing its division, and we will continue this struggle and work today and tomorrow. Our policy today preserves the unity of Syrian territory.”

Commenting on the role of regional and international forces and the Syrian regime towards the areas of North and East Syria, SDF Commander-in-Chief said, “No step should be taken at the expense of our people and the components of North and East Syria. We suffer a lot in our areas due to the opposition of regional and international forces and the blatant and negative intervention of the Syrian regime, affecting the economic and social conditions in our areas, a truth we are well aware of.”

He added, “However, just as we resisted and withstood all attacks, especially against ISIS and the Turkish state’s attacks, we will now, relying on our strength, be able to overcome these difficulties as well.”

Concerning internal unity, he said, “On the twelfth anniversary of the revolution, our first goal is to strengthen our internal front. We must enhance national unity among all components of the region, including Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Armenians, and others, more than before. As we were united in defending our areas and gains, where the youth of all components sacrificed their blood to protect our areas, we are obliged to maintain our internal unity more than before to protect our achievements gained with the blood of our martyrs and overcome those difficulties.”

Regarding the Syrian Democratic Forces, he said, “To deter all forces and attacks on our areas from outside, we will certainly work to strengthen the Syrian Democratic Forces more than before. Over the past four years, we have fought an intensive and extensive struggle. During the launch of the July 19 Revolution, our numbers were in the hundreds, and now our armed forces exceed one hundred thousand fighters. We have established strong special forces and developed our forces in terms of possessing and using the latest military technology, establishing fronts and fortifications, and developing our military forces horizontally and vertically.”

Regarding the ability of SDF forces to repel attacks on their areas, he stated, “I say it frankly so that everyone feels comfortable and reassured; our forces are sufficient and ready to repel all kinds of attacks on our areas. One of our goals in the thirteenth year of the revolution, that is, this year, is to expand our forces further to reach a deep level of professionalism in the arts of combat and warfare to defend our areas and to overcome the administrative and societal problems our people suffer from. We must work together to find solutions and overcome these problems.”

In conclusion, Mazloum Abdi, once again congratulated the people on the twelfth anniversary of the July 19 Revolution, saying, “If we tackle these problems in the spirit of the July 19 Revolution, we will achieve great successes. Just as we managed to protect our gains and achievements over the past twelve years of the revolution, we will undoubtedly achieve greater accomplishments in its thirteenth year. Once again, I congratulate you on the anniversary of the revolution and wish you success and victory in your work and struggle.”